Saturday, September 15, 2012

Okay, fellow lovers of animals, I'm really, really, really sorry, but Animal of the Week is really not working for me. You have seen how I've been forgetting to do it, and in my every-day lifestyle it is not working out. I'm going to save all of the Animal of the Week posts, and, just so you guys know, all of the information about the animals came from National Geographic.com. I wasn't trying to hide that from you, all the times I posted them, but I always forgot to do it, or I didn't even think of it.

Monday, September 10, 2012

Giraffes, the tallest mammals on Earth, roam the African savanna in constant search for food, like treetop acacia buds.

Giraffes are the world's tallest mammals, thanks to their towering legs and long necks. A giraffe's legs alone are taller than many humans—about 6 feet (1.8 meters). These long legs allow giraffes to run as fast as 35 miles (56 kilometers) an hour over short distances and cruise comfortably at 10 miles (16 kilometers) an hour over longer distances.Typically, these fascinating animals roam the open grasslands in small groups of about half a dozen.Bulls sometimes battle one another by butting their long necks and heads. Such contests aren't usually dangerous and end when one animal submits and walks away.Giraffes use their height to good advantage and browse on leaves and buds in treetops that few other animals can reach (acacias are a favorite). Even the giraffe's tongue is long! The 21-inch (53-centimeter) tongue helps them pluck tasty morsels from branches. Giraffes eat most of the time and, like cows, regurgitate food and chew it as cud. A giraffe eats hundreds of pounds of leaves each week and must travel miles to find enough food.The giraffe's height also helps it to keep a sharp lookout for predators across the wide expanse of the African savanna.The giraffe's stature can be a disadvantage as well—it is difficult and dangerous for a giraffe to drink at a water hole. To do so they must spread their legs and bend down in an awkward position that makes them vulnerable to predators like Africa's big cats. Giraffes only need to drink once every several days; they get most of their water from the luscious plants they eat.Female giraffes give birth standing up. Their young endure a rather rude welcome into the world by falling more than 5 feet (1.5 meters) to the ground at birth. These infants can stand in half an hour and run with their mothers an incredible ten hours after birth.Giraffes have beautiful spotted coats. While no two individuals have exactly the same pattern, giraffes from the same area appear similar.

Fast Facts Type: Mammal. Diet: Herbivore. Average life span in the wild: 25 years. Size:14 to 19 ft (4 to 6 m)Weight:1,750 to 2,800 lbs (794 to 1,270 kg)Size relative to a 6-ft (2-m) man:
This information is from National Geographic.com

I am starting something called Animal of the Week. Every week I will post information about that animal and,(If you happen to look at the slideshow located on the sidebar it will have pictures of that certain animal.) I will also have a picture with the post. You may have to look more than once a week for that animal because I am not going to post the post on a certain date or anything. I will just do the post whenever I can.

Thursday, September 6, 2012

The lynx is known for the black tufts of fur on the tips of its ears, which function as hearing aids.

The lynx is a solitary cat that haunts the remote northern forests of North America, Europe, and Asia. Lynx are covered with beautiful thick fur that keeps them warm during frigid winters. Their large paws are also furry and hit the ground with a spreading toe motion that makes them function as natural snowshoes.
These stealthy cats avoid humans and hunt at night, so they are rarely seen.
There are several species of lynx. Few survive in Europe but those that do, like their Asian relatives, are typically larger than their North American counterpart, the Canada lynx.
All lynx are skilled hunters that make use of great hearing (the tufts on their ears are a hearing aid) and eyesight so strong that a lynx can spot a mouse 250 feet (75 meters) away.
Canada lynx eat mice, squirrels, and birds, but prefer the snowshoe hare. The lynx are so dependent on this prey that their populations fluctuate with a periodic plunge in snowshoe hare numbers that occurs about every ten years. Bigger Eurasian lynx hunt deer and other larger prey in addition to small animals.
Lynx mate in early spring or late winter. About two months later, females give birth to a litter of one to four young.
Humans sometimes hunt lynx for their beautiful fur. One endangered population, the Iberian lynx, struggles to survive in the mountains of Spain, far from the cold northern forests where most lynx live.

Fast Facts

Type:

Mammal

Diet:

Carnivore

Size:

Head and body, 32 to 40 in (80 to 100 cm); Tail, 4 to 8 in (10 to 20 cm)

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Hi there!

Welcome to Claire's Crazy Habitat!
My name is Claire Spencer. My blog is devoted to one of God's most amazing creations- animals! If you love animals as much as I do, then I'm sure you'll enjoy my blog. Happy reading!